Hospital stretcher



March 27, 1962 Filed Oct. 22, 1959 P. C. TABBERT HOSPITAL STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 27, 1962 Filed Oct. 22, 1959 P. C. TABBERT HOSPITAL STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY 1 Q United States Fatent @ftice 3,026,542 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 3,026,542 HOSPITAL STRETCHER Paul C. Tabbert, Bridgman, Mich, assignor to Tahhert Manufacturing Company, Bridgman, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 848,063 13 Claims. (Cl. -86) This invention relates to improvements in hospital stretcher. The principal objects of the invention are:

First, to provide a novel form of a wheeled hospital stretcher which facilitates movement of patients in various angularly adjusted positions and which can be moved into overlapping relation with a bed for transfer of patients between the bed and the stretcher.

Second, to provide a novel form of support for the platform of a stretcher which permits the elevation and longitudinal angle of the platform to be adjusted independently and in which the adjustable supports are relatively narrow to leave an unoccupied space underneath the side edges of the platform.

Third, to provide a stretcher which can be made and purchased originally as a fixed stretcher and later converted as desired to add the functions of vertical adjustment, angular adjustment and hydraulic operation of the vertical adjusting means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there are two sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the stretcher and one modified form of vertical adjusting mechanism therefor.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the stretcher in one elevated and angularly tilted position of adjustment.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the stretcher in horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the elevating mechanism for the stretcher.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 66 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of elevating mechanism for the stretcher.

The stretcher is supported upon a base or chassis consisting of a longitudinal bar 1 of rectangular cross section and transverse cross bars 2. The ends of the cross bars support vertical bearings 3 for the yokes 4 of castor wheels 5. At one end of the base is an upright column 6 and at the other end there is an upright column 7. The column 6 consists of laterally spaced side plates 8 and 9 while the column 7 consists of laterally spaced side plates 10 and 11. (See FIGS. 3 and 4.)

The platform 12 of the stretcher is supported by a suitable rim 13 and cross members 14, one of which appears in FIG. 6. Depending from the cross members 14 are a first post 15 cooperative with the upright 6 and a second post 16 cooperative with the upright 7. As appears most clearly from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the posts 15 and 16 are positioned between and laterally retained by the side plates 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the uprights.

Desirably but not necessarily the platform 12 has a hinged section 17 connected to the remainder of the platform by a transverse hinge indicated at 18 in FIG. 1. The underside of the hinged section 17 carries the triangular framework 19 with a bearing block 2i) at its lower corner. The block 20 rotatably supports a transverse rod 21 and the rod is in turn transversely bored and tapped to receive the threaded portion 22 of an ad justing crank 23. The crank is rotatably and axially and fixedly supported in a swivel bearing 24 carried by the post 15 so that rotation of the crank 23 moves the block 20 along the adjusting screw and adjusts the position of the hinged portion 17 of the platform.

Also desirably but not necessarily the platform 12 carries side guard rails 25 that have support arms 26 extending laterally inwardly from their lower edges and pivotally connected as at 27 to the cross members 14. Releasable spring catches 28 on the arms 26 are engageable with the rim 13 of the stretcher to hold the side rails erected or to permit their collapse below the platform of the stretcher. Due to the support of the platform 12 from its transverse center it is possible to lower one side rail and roll the stretcher sideways until the side edge of the platform overlies a hospital bed or other support for easy transfer of patients between the bed and the stretcher.

Vertical adjustment of the platform 12 on the base 1 and the columns 6 and 7 is effected by a pair of primary support levers 29 and 30. The support levers are pivotally connected at their adjacent ends as at 31 and are supported for limited longitudinal movement and vertical swinging movement by the links 32 pivotally mounted on a mounting plate 33 secured to the top of the longitudinal base bar 1 of the chassis of the structure. The mounting plate 33 may be added to an existing stretcher in which the posts 15 and 16 had previously been fixedly connected to the uprights 6 and 7. The mounting plate 33 carries a central guide upright 34 with a transverse slot 35 therethrough and the pivot 31 travels in the slot 35. As appears most clearly from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the primary support levers 29 and 31! each consist of two transversely spaced bars that are lapped on opposite sides of the upright 34.

A direct support link 36 is pivotally connected to one primary support lever as at 37 and extends upwardly to a pivot pin 38. The pin 38 passes through an arcuate slot 39 provided therefor in the plates 8 and 9 of the up right 6 and also passes in pivotally supporting relation through the post 15. It will be seen that raising or lowering the primary support lever 29 will necessarily raise or lower the post 15 and the right end of the platform as appearing in FIG. 1. The other end of the platform is supported by a toggle link consisting of the toggle sections 41 and 41 pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by the pivot 42. The lower toggle section 49 is pivotally connected at 43 to the primary support lever 31) and the upper toggle section 41 is pivotally connected at 44 to the underside of the platform. The toggle sections and 41 are adjustably secured against collapse by a second adjusting crank 45 having a threaded section 46 engaged transversely through the pivot 42 and having its other end rotatably and axially fixed in the post 15 as at 47. (See FIG. 2.) It will thus be seen that elevation of the toggle sections 40 and 41 by the primary support lever 31 will elevate the left end of the platform appearing in FIG. 1. A guide link 48 connected to the primary support lever 30 at the pivot 43 extends upwardly to a pivot 54 passed through an arcuate slot 51 that is provided therefor in the side plates 10 and 11 of the upright 7. The pivot also passes through an arcuate slot 52 in the post 16 and so does not perform any supporting function for the platform 12.

For ease in elevating the platform 12 as a unit a hydraulic power unit 53 may be mounted on the longitudinal base bar 1. The hydraulic unit includes a power cylinder 54 and piston rod 55 connected by the yoke 56 to the primary support lever 29. The pump cylinder 57 of the hydraulic unit has its piston connected by the yoke 58 to a pump lever 59 pivotally supported from the bottom of the base bar 1. An operating pedal 60 on the end of the lever 59' is exposed at the end of the stretcher for easily building up pressure in the cylinder 54 to in turn elevate the platform. The hydraulic power unit further includes a valve illustrated conventionally at 61 for regulating the escape of fluid from the power cylinder 54 to permit lowering of the stretcher platform. The valve 61 is controlled by the lever 62 having an operating button or toe pad 63 exposed near the end of the stretcher.

The hydraulic elevating and regulating mechanism may be added as an improvement to a stretcher having the elevating mechanism described. A less expensive mechanism for elevating the platform of the stretcher is illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the upright 34A is provided with a fixed nut 64 at its top engageable with the threaded portion of an elevating crank 65. The lower end of the crank 65 is rotatably but axially fixedly connected to the pivot 31A that connects the primary support levers 29 and 3t). Rotation of the crank 65 raises and lowers the primary supporting levers for vertical adjustment of the platform as has been described. The stretcher can thus be sold initially with the posts and 16 fixedly bolted to the uprights 6 and 7. Later the mounting plate 33 with the primary support levers and and the crank 65 can be added for screw adjustment of the platform of the stretcher. If still greater ease and power operation of the platform is desired, the hydraulic unit 53 can be added to perform the function of the screw crank 65.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A hospital stretcher comprising a central longitudinal bar with cross bars on each end constituting a base, wheels supporting the ends of said cross bars, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said first bar and consisting of laterally spaced side plates with slots in their upper'ends concave towards the slots in the columns at the opposite end of the stretcher, a platform having longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside intermediate of its side edges and laterally retained between said side plates, a tiltable section in said platform hinged to the remainder of the platform, means for tilting said tiltable section including a threaded block swivelly carried by the tiltable section below its hinge connection and an adjusting screw and crank rotatably supported on one of said posts and threaded through said block, elevating mechanism including a mounting plate connected to said first bar between said columns and having an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, links pivoted on said mounting plate at each end thereof, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said links, a direct support link connected between the end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the concave slot in one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts at a point above the other of said coluriins, a guide link connected between said other primary support lever and said other post by a pivot passed through said slot in said other column and through said other post, said other post having an arcuate slot herein passing said last pivot, a second adjusting screw and crank rotatably mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said first bar including a hydraulic cylinder and piston mounted on said first bar with its piston connected to one of said primary levers, said cylinder having a pump and valve associated therewith with actuating foot pedals for the pump and valve accessible at the end of the stretcher.

2. A hospital stretcher comprising a central longitudinal bar with cross bars on each end constituting a base, wheels supporting the ends of said cross bars, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said first bar and consisting of laterally spaced side plates with slots in their upper ends, a platform hav ng longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside intermediate of its side edges and laterally retained between said side plates, a tiltable section in said platform hinged to the remainder of the platform, means for tilting said tiltable section including an adjusting screw and crank rotatably supported on one of said posts, elevating mechanism including a mounting plate connected to said first bar between said columns and having an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, links pivoted on said mounting plate at each end thereof, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said links, a direct support link connected bet-ween the end of one of said primary sup port levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the slot in one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts at a point above the other of said columns, a guide link connected between said other primary support lever and said other post by a pivot passed through said slot in said other column and through said other post, said other post having a slot therein passing said last pivot, a second adjusting screw and crank rotatably mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said first bar including a hydraulic cylinder and piston mounted on said first bar and connected to one of said primary levers, said cylinder having a pump and valve associated therewith with actuating foot pedals for the pump and valve.

3. A hospital stretcher comprising a central longitudinal bar with cross bars on each end constituting a base, wheels supporting the ends of said cross bars, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said first bar with slots in their upper ends concave toward the slots in the column at the opposite end of the stretcher, a platform having longi tudinally spaced posts depending from its underside intermediate of its side edges and in laterally retained rela-' tion to said columns, a tiltable section in said platform hinged to the remainder of the platform, means for tilting said tiltable section including a threaded block swivelly carried by the tiltable section below its hinge connection and an adjusting screw and crank rotatably supported on one of said posts and threaded through said block, ele vating mechanism connected to said first bar between said columns and having an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, links pivoted on said first bar at each side of said upright, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said links, a direct support link connected between the end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the concave slot in one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts at a point above the other of said columns, a guide link connected between said other primary support lever and said other post by a pivot passed through said slot in said other column and through said other post, said other post having an arcuate slot therein passing said last pivot, a second adjusting screw and crank. rQtatably mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said first bar including a screw and crank mounted on said upright and connected to one of said primary levers.

4. A hospitial stretcher comprising a central longitudinal bar with cross bars on each end constituting a base, wheels supporting the ends of said cross bars, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said first bar with slots in their upper ends concave toward the slots in the column at the opposite end of the stretcher, a platform having longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside intermediate of its side edges and in laterally retained relation to said columns, elevating mechanism connected to said first bar between said columns and having an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, links pivoted on said first bar at each side of said upright, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said links, a direct support link connected between the end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the concave slot in one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts, a pivot passed through said slot in said other column and through said other post, an adjusting screw and crank ro-tata'bly mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said first bar.

5. A hospital stretcher comprising a base, wheels supporting the ends of said base, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said base and consisting of laterally spaced side plates with slots in their upper ends, a platform having longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside and laterally retained between said side plates, elevating mechanism connected to said base between said columns and having an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, pivots mounted on said base at each end of said upright, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent inner ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said pivots on said base, a direct support link connected between the outer end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the slot in one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the outer end of the other pn'mary support lever and the other of said posts at a point above the other of said columns, a guide link connected between said other primary support lever and said other post by a pivot passed through said slot in said other column and through said other post, an adjusting screw and crank rotatably mounted in said said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said base including a hydraulic cylinder and piston mounted on said base and connected to one of said primary levers, said cylinder having a pump and valve associated therewith with actuating foot pedals for the pump and valve.

6. A hospital stretcher comprising a base, wheels supporting the ends of said base, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said base with slots in their upper ends, a platform having longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside and laterally retained by said columns, elevating mechanism connected to said base between said columns and having an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, pivot mounted on said base at each end of said upright, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent inner ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said pivots on said base, a direct support link connected between the outer end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the slot in one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the outer end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts, a pivot passed through said slot in said other column and through said other post, an adjusting screw and crank rotatably mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adusting the primary support levers on said base.

7. A hospital stretcher comprising a base, wheels supporting the ends of said base, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said base, one of said columns having a slot in its upper 'end, a platform having longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside and laterally retained by said columns, elevating mechanism connected to said base between said columns including an upright with a transverse guide slot therein, spaced pivots on said base toward each end thereof, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by a pivot guided in said guide slot and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said spaced pivots, a direct support link connected between the end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the slot in said one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts, means including a pin and slot connection vertically adjustably guiding said other post on said other column, an adjusting screw and crank rotatably mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said base including a hydraulic cylinder and piston mounted on said first bar and connected to one of said primary levers, said cylinder having a pump and valve associated therewith with actuating foot pedals for the pump and valve.

8. A hospital stretcher comprising a base, wheels supporting the ends of said base, part of said wheels being castor mounted, fixed upright columns on the ends of said base, one of said columns having a slot in its upper end, a platform having longitudinally spaced posts depending from its underside and laterally retained by said columns, elevating mechanism connected to said base between said columns including spaced pivots on said base toward each end thereof, primary support levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends and swingably supported intermediate of their ends on said spaced pivots, a direct support link connected between the end of one of said primary support levers and one of said posts by a pivot passed through the slot in said one of said columns, a toggle link including pivotally connected toggle sections having the opposite ends of its said toggle sections connected to the end of the other primary support lever and the other of said posts, means including a pin and slot connection vertically adjustably guiding said other post on said other column, an adjusting screw and crank rotatably mounted in said one post and threadedly engaged with said toggle link adjacent its pivot to vary the length of the toggle link and tilt the platform about the pivotal connection between the direct support link and the first post, and means for adjusting the primary support levers on said base.

9. A stretcher comprising a wheeled base, a centrally disposed upright at each end of said base, a platform provided with depending longitudinally spaced posts having sliding and tilting connections to said uprights, means for vertically adjusting said platform mounted on said base and supportingly connected to said posts, and means for tiltingly adjusting said posts on said supporting means and thereby tiltingly adjusting said platform, said means for vertically adjusting said platform and supporting said posts include primary levers pivotally connected at their adjacent ends and pivotally connected intermediate of their ends to said base, a direct support link connected between the swinging end of one of said levers and one of said posts, and other link means connecting the swinging end of the other of said levers and the other post.

10. A stretcher as defined in claim 9 in which said means for tiltably adjusting said posts includes pivotally connected toggle sections for said other link means and a crank rotatably mounted on said one post and having a screw shaft threadedly engaged With said toggle sections adjacent their pivotal connection.

11. A stretcher as defined in claim 9 and including a hydraulic cylinder and piston connected between said base and one of said primary support levers, and a hydraulic pump and valve connected to said cylinder to adjust said levers on said base.

12. A stretcher as defined in claim 9 in which said primary levers and said supporting links are connected to said base and posts as a unit attachable after assembly of said platform and posts on said base and said uprights.

13. A stretcher as defined in claim 12 in which said unit including said primary levers has an upright with a guide slot therein receiving and guiding the pivotal connection between said primary levers, and a crank rotatably mounted on said upright and having a screw shaft connected to said primary levers to adjust said levers relative to the upright.

Berg et al Feb. 2 6, 1952 Reichert et a1. Sept. 29, 1959 1. am-h 

